The History of Fruit Symbols and Why They Became Iconic

In the vast and visually diverse world of modern slot machines, one set of symbols remains an enduring and iconic classic: the humble fruit. Cherries, lemons, oranges, and plums have been spinning on slot reels for over a hundred years. But have you ever wondered why? Why fruit? Their origin story is a fascinating piece of early 20th-century American history that has its roots not in gambling, but in candy.These simple, colorful symbols are more than just a nostalgic design choice; they are a direct link to the earliest days of the slot machine, a time when the line between a vending machine and a game of chance was creatively blurred. This iconic imagery is still celebrated in many "classic" style games on modern platforms like http://bet88-1.com/.

## The Problem: Early Anti-Gambling Laws

In the early 1900s, cash-payout slot machines, like Charles Fey's famous "Liberty Bell," faced increasing legal pressure from anti-gambling laws across the United States. To circumvent these laws, machine manufacturers needed a clever way to rebrand their devices as something other than gambling machines. Their solution was to turn the slot machine into a gum dispenser.

## The Solution: The Bell-Fruit Gum Company

A company called the Bell-Fruit Gum Company, which was later absorbed by the Mills Novelty Company of Chicago, had an ingenious idea. Around 1909, they began to produce a new type of machine called an "operator bell."

• The Disguise: These machines were designed to look and operate like vending machines. The company argued that they were not gambling devices because they always dispensed a product—a stick of fruit-flavored chewing gum.
• The "Winnings": Instead of cash, the machines would dispense tokens or trade checks which could be exchanged for prizes, including more gum, cigars, or drinks at the establishment's counter.
• The Fruit Symbols: To reinforce the connection to the chewing gum, the company replaced the traditional playing card symbols on the reels with colorful pictures of fruit. Each fruit corresponded to a flavor of gum.

This brilliant marketing move allowed the machines to be legally placed in bars, cigar stores, and other establishments all across the country.

## The Legacy of the Fruit Machine

• The "BAR" Symbol: The iconic "BAR" symbol, which is still one of the highest-paying symbols in many classic slots, was an adaptation of the Bell-Fruit Gum Company's early logo.
• The Cherry Bonus: The cherry became a special symbol. Early machines would often pay out a small prize for just one or two cherry symbols, making it a frequent and exciting winner. This tradition continues in many classic slots today.
• A Global Icon: These American-made "fruit machines" were exported around the world, and the term is still the common name for slot machines in the United Kingdom.

The next time you see those familiar cherries or lemons spinning on a slot reel, you'll know that you are looking at more than just a colorful symbol. You are looking at a clever piece of marketing history, a relic from a time when the pioneers of the slot machine industry used the sweet taste of fruit to cleverly navigate the laws of the land.